Posts Tagged: sustainable-activism - (33 found)

“Providing a theory of social change that is convincing is already a tall order, but Duncan Green sets himself an even higher bar. The book aims to be a practical field guide to social activism. More than that, it aspires to be a field guide not just for the kinds of people he normally works with, such as NGO campaigners or grassroots organ- izers. It is meant to be a field manual for activists in the broadest sense: politicians, civil servants, businesspeople, even academics.” [Ha-Joon Chang, Foreword] Download the pdf for free by clicking on the ‘open access’ link.

There is a pervasive fear in the nonprofit field that focusing inwardly—on our staff, our leadership, even our own salaries—will take away from achieving our organizational missions. That needs to change.

Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, you jump on board, heart open, mind and body ready to work tirelessly to “fulfill the mission.” Then, the creep happens: The hours are long; the pay is mediocre; the leadership is not as tuned-in as you’d hoped; the career ladder seems non-existent. In fact, you feel like the organization expects you won’t last.

Often people mistakenly think that working in the not-for-profit sector is a great way to get work/life balance. While it’s true that ethical work can be more fulfilling than other sectors, the unique challenges that not-for-profits face can put many staff on a one-way track to burn out! It doesn’t have to be that way. What will you smash with the NO stick this week?

Activism is a job that not only taxes one’s body and mind, but it usually pays little to nothing in the form of financial compensation for all the dedicated hard work one does. As any dedicated activist within the MHRM will tell you, activism takes its toll both mentally and physically. Being aware of one’s limits is crucial to being an effective activist, as well as maintaining a healthy and positive life outside of your activism.

What role does an organisation play in one’s self-care? How can an organization care for itself? How can we change an organisation’s culture to one that values and prioritises self-care? This New Tactics dialogue explores these questions.

‘The Spiritual Activist’ is a practical guide to individual and social transformation. It will help you create opportunities to slow down, build stronger relationships at home and at work, and embrace the world around you.

In this dialogue, human rights practitioners discussed perhaps the most challenging aspect of being engaged in human rights work – sustaining activists’ mental health and energy. Human rights practitioners bring attention to disturbing events and heinous crimes worldwide, and often work in dangerous conditions. This dialogue emphasized the necessity of taking care of one’s self. Practitioners shared various approaches, resources, and discussed challenges.

ABC Online > When environmental researcher Georgie Smith began noticing her sustainability peers lose steam for the fight, she realised the issue manifested similarly for many. “It seems to mimic the grieving process. First there’s denial, then people get really, really angry, before they move through the other phases like bargaining and despair. It’s despair where the real danger is, because at that point people can switch off and decide ‘I’m not going to fight’,” she says.

Those who have been lobbying on environmental issues for decades agree avoiding the emotional lows of activism is challenging. “It’s true there are some people who get depressed or can’t keep their energy levels up. It’s a long-term battle,” says Jeff Angel, Executive Director of NSW not for profit, Total Environment Centre.

The living world is not ‘out there’ somewhere, it’s in our hearts. Our work combines Ecopsychology with Sustainability Education, to nourish you on a journey of Self discovery that can transform our world. We weave the Personal, our Earthly clay bodies – values, attitudes, unexamined assumptions, personality; the Planetary – the Ecological Self and the Political – your action and work in the world. They are all connected. We are all connected.

Testimonials

Marianne Williamson

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you NOT to be?

2014-03-30T08:12:51+00:00

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you NOT to be?

http://www.thechangeagency.org/testimonials/nelson-mandela/

Saul Alinksy 1971

Some of the most successful activist have treated social struggles as learning experiences.

2014-03-27T02:17:46+00:00

Some of the most successful activist have treated social struggles as learning experiences.

http://www.thechangeagency.org/testimonials/saul-alinksy-1971/

Srdja Popovic, ‘Bringing Down a Dictator’

I think we succeeded because we simply loved life more than them. Generally, those guys were the preachers of the death. Their hatred, their propaganda, you know, their language smelled like death. And we won because we loved life more. We decided to love life and you't beat a life. So this is what Otpor did. We were a group of fans of life. And this is why we succeeded.

2014-03-30T08:07:38+00:00

I think we succeeded because we simply loved life more than them. Generally, those guys were the preachers of the death. Their hatred, their propaganda, you know, their language smelled like death. And we won because we loved life more. We decided to love life and you’t beat a life. So this is what Otpor...

Martin Luther King Jr. ‘Where do we go from here?’

Education without social action is a one-sided value because it has no true power potential. Social action with education is a weak expression of pure energy. Deeds uninformed by educated thought can take false directions. When we go into action and confront our adversaries, we must be armed with knowledge as they. Our policies should have the strength of deep analysis beneath them to challenge the clever sophistries of our opponents.

1.0

2015-02-11T15:49:46+00:00

Education without social action is a one-sided value because it has no true power potential. Social action with education is a weak expression of pure energy. Deeds uninformed by educated thought can take false directions. When we go into action and confront our adversaries, we must be armed with knowledge as they. Our policies should...

Angela Davis

It is extremely important not to assume that there are 'communities of color' out there fully formed, conscious of themselves, just waiting for vanguard organizers to mobilize them into action... We have to think about organizing as producing the communities, as generating community, as building communities of struggle.

3.0

2014-06-10T11:10:53+00:00

It is extremely important not to assume that there are ‘communities of color’ out there fully formed, conscious of themselves, just waiting for vanguard organizers to mobilize them into action… We have to think about organizing as producing the communities, as generating community, as building communities of struggle.

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